The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1887-03-13
A Brief but Very Important Telegram That
Prevented His Concentrating Business
Arrangement with Gen. Mcclellan.
The Angelic Music That Soothed Gen.
Sickles's Father in His Illness.
The Chastity and Horrible Visions That Wait
upon the Sleeping Hours of Edward Unger
and Fire His Brain with Madness.
GRANT AND MCCLELLAN.

Special to the Indianapolis Journal.
NEW YORK. March 12.-In the examination OF
the papers left by the late General Mcclellan,
the discovery has been made that he and General
Grant, although they had been anything else
than accordant soldiers, entered into q re-
markable partnership civilians. 1t was
deeply cherished ambition Of Grants to crown
his achievements with the accomplishment of
some great enterprise in civic affairs. Among
the innumerable schemes that were brought be-
fore his attention the one that attracted him the
most was the Nicaragua canal project. He saw
the advisabity of the idea, and was convinced
that the benefits to commerce from an inter
oceanic canal would be an ilustrious monument |
to the man who should secure the completion of |
waterway. 1t may not be generally known |
that there had been nearly score of surveys |
made of proposed routes for such canal, the |
various lines crossing the country from points on
the southern shore of the Gulf of Mexico, from
points on the Mexican and Central American
coasts and even from the Gulf of Orinoco. in
South America. The latter scheme involved an
immense cut through lofty portion Of the
Andes mountains. OF all these suggested
routes, only three or four met with sufi
cient favor to warrant the organization
of companies to prosecute the work. De Les
seps is digging and blasting at Panama; Eads
has been showing marvellous and interesting
pictures of ship railway across the Isthmus of
Tehuantepec and there is a company that at
the present is presumably sucking its thumbs
and scowling over the failure of Congress at the
session just closed to pass An act Incorporating
it. 1t is this company that General Grant came
within an ace of leading.
During General Grants administration a COM
mission was appointed to investigate the sew
eral canal projects and to make report and
by Admiral Ammen. and in voluminous re-
port declared that the Nicaragua scheme was
the most available 1t is reasonable to suppose,
however, that men have forgotten that old
Cortez, the original Cortez, who took a birds
eye view Of Mexico in the sixteenth century,
also recommended the Nicaragua scheme.
1t is a fact, though: and Cortez argued
so effectively the matter with the
King Of Spain that a survey was
not only authorized. but directions were given
that the work should be undertaken. Then one
of those medieval unpleasantnesses arose in
the shape of a war. and the king was furnished
with diversion more exciting than ditch-dlgging,
and by and by Cortez died, and then the project
was forgotten. But years afterward the Portu-
| guese got interested in it, and though no actual
work was done, a survey and favorable report
| was made; and as the centuries rolled along the
| idea that there might be something a canal
across Nicaragua reached England, and present
| ~ Admiral Nelson was sent out to make n sur
| vey and undertake the work Of construction.
| Then, just as Nelson had begun to get familiar
| with the situation, England got into a bit of
| shindy with France, and the Admiral had to get
| home as fast as he could. No one can say that
General Grant did not know all the history of the
Nicaragua scheme by heart at any rate he was
convinced that it was good one, and when he
had retired from public life and had settled down
to business, and was looking about for some great
enterprise with which to connect himself, it oc-
Cured to him that it was the best thing he could
take hold of. And there was, of course, no off
iculty in taking hold OF it, for the projectors Of
the enterprise were only too glad to enroll him
as their fgurehead General Mcclellan was to
be associated with him in the prosecution of the
work; Grant was to be the president of the com
| pany and Mcclellan was to be at the head of the
engineering department
The arrangement oe the scheme took time, but
at last, after numerous conferences, papers were
prepared that were satisfactory to all parties.
and Generals Grant and Mcclellan met in New
York Office to sign them. 1t should be men
toned, incidentally, that with General Grant at
the head of the enterprise, the firm of Grant &
Ward would naturally have been its financial
agent. The papers embodying the agreements
were given final scrutiny and some discussion
ensued Then General Mcclellan, who held the
documents passed them to General Grant. The
latter had taken zen in his hand to afix his
| sic nature when a messenger entered hurriedly
| and handed dispatch to him. He paused to
read it. It announced the failure Of the Marine
Bank. The General rose calmly. and handing
} the message to Mcclellan remarked:
'Iu that case think had better not sign; 70,
if the Marine Bank has failed that means Gran,
& Ward"
Grant & Ward had already failed, but the
; General had not heard Oft. Mcclellan looked al
the dispatch for moment, and then replied:
mo. in that case don't believe either of u.
had better sign, for don't believe either you OF
/ Ward"
The remark was made with no knowledge O
5 it's deep significance, but it was the end of Gen
Grants connection with the Nicaragua cana
project
ANGELIC MUSIC.
The Soothing Strains Heard by Gen. sickles'
Father During His Illness.
Special to the indianapolis Journal
| Nrw VORV March 1o-Tha daafh had n